


Fear does crazy things.

by annie_whobug



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-27 11:52:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10019654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annie_whobug/pseuds/annie_whobug
Summary: Fear does crazy things to everyone it makes you think about what you could've done differently, who you could've been kinder to and who you'll leave behind.





	1. Arguments, Alocohol and Abduction.

**Author's Note:**

> I have claustrophobia so I really connect with Danny and I'm always really drawn to him. If my girlfriends reading this- I see you Molly.

'Everyone loves a happy ending' Danny thought to himself as he rinsed the last drop of beer from his bottle, even going as far as licking the froth from the neck of the bottle. Their tight knit group sat at a round table at their local bar celebrating the closure of their most recent case: an attempted kidnapping of the Governor. Hawaii in recent years had been known as a gate way into the mainland for drug trafficking, sneaking drugs through shipping containers then transporting them over to the mainland with very little issue. So the Five-O's crack down on this problem wasn't good for business. Some cartel’s had taken it even further and thought that by hiring a local gang to kidnap the Governor that it would somehow force their hand and they would have no choice but to let kilos of cocaine leave the Island and head straight to the mainland. It ended up being one of the simplest cases Five-O had ever worked; there was a paper trail five miles long, enough evidence to put the whole gang away and perpetrators that squealed like a bunch of pigs. Spilling everything they knew about the plan, about the people that hired them, even down to the cars they drove. That was what was bothering Danny's anxiety ridden mind as he clutched the neck of his now empty beer that rested on his bad knee. It was easy for something that shouldn't have been easy. Of course when Danny bought his concerns to Steve, he had said, "don't always overthink everything Danno," then placed a kiss on his forehead, "sometimes it is always that easy," so he'd left it and moved onto paperwork.

At least he thought he'd left it. He was pulled out of thought as Steve gently shrugged his shoulder, "you alright Danno?" Steve frowned at him, Danny simply nodded and moved to get out the plastic chair and get another beer, wincing slightly at the sudden movement his knee wasn't ready for. He walked slowly over to the bar as to not cause anymore pain, when he got there the barman popped his head up from something he had obviously been preoccupied with, "good case I'm guessing?" he gestured with his head to the crowd of people Danny had just come from. It wasn't uncommon that people at this bar knew who the cohort of people were, not just because they were often in the local news but because they often frequented this bar if the closing case was a good one, what was less common was that Danny couldn't quite recall ever meeting the bartender, "you could say that," Danny replied not thinking much more of the unfamiliar man but instead collecting his beer bottle that he had just ordered and walked off. As he approached his table he could hear Steve recounting a story from two days prior, "you should've seen his," Steve neglected to finish his story as he saw Danny returning, "no please Steven carry on," he fumed, "tell them how I was genuinely concerned for your safety," Danny finished with the thud of his beer bottle hitting the table, not hard enough to smash but enough that some spilled out the top.

Danny wouldn't stand there and be embarrassed, he picked up his phone and wallet then sulked out into the car park, Steve could've sworn he saw smoke coming out of Danny's ears. He didn't think about it for long however, instead he shot up out of his seat and followed Danny quickly, "Danno wait please," he shouted after him with Danny slightly out of ear shot. It didn't take him long to catch up with Danny, he tried to gingerly take Danny's hand, "don't fucking touch me," he swore quietly moving his hand just out of reach as he continued walking, "Danny please it was just a joke," Steve almost bumped into Danny as he stopped dead in his tracks and swivelled round to meet him, "its not a joke Steven, being injured is not a joke to me," Danny said with a very hurt look on his face and again Steve tried gingerly to embrace him, "just fuck off will you," Danny turned around to carry on walking waving his hands dismissively. Steve was still shocked that Danny was being so childish but he continued with his efforts, "you can't drive Danny you're over the limit," Danny clenched his teeth as he realised he was right, "you really gonna walk on hour back home?" Steve quizzed condescendingly, only making Danny want to walk all the more, "yep all the way home, don't wait up you dick!" Danny shouted as he rounded the corner of the car park and started walking the route to their shared home.

He would never admit how much of a stupid argument it really was, they were arguing about the fact that they care for each other. Not about how much the bills were or where one of them was last night but the fact that they would be concerned and upset if one of them was injured. Danny kicked a rock as he tried to convince himself that it was an argument worth fighting because Steve had taken the piss out of him when he wasn't even around to defend himself and he also hadn't even said sorry for what he'd done yet either. These were two very compelling reasons to carry on walking to the house, but his compelling reason to turn around and go back to Steve was now throbbing so much that Danny was limping. Just as he was about to turn around and give in he heard what he thought- in his drunken stupor was the sound of Steve's truck rolling down the street, but before he could even register the fact that it wasn't he felt a sharp pain and suddenly the tarmac seemed like an inviting place.

Steve could've sworn he heard something hit the floor as he waited in the truck for Danny to come sulking back through the car park, limping from his knee and shouting expletives at Steve. Ten minutes turned into twenty minutes by this time Danny had severely pissed off Steve by not coming back, he put the car in drive and started rolling down the road calling Danny as he did. He was about to put his foot on the accelerator when he could've sworn he heard Danny's ringtone. He put the indicator on, pulled over and jumped out of the car searching for the source of the noise. Whilst he did that he also managed to find a bright picture of his face to match the noise. Steve picked up what he now recognised to be Danny's phone. His mind first started going through the list of rational ideas like someone could've walked into him and accidently knocked it out of his pocket or he could've even dropped it by accident and not realised. Once his mind was done with that list he moved onto the slightly less rational, like maybe Danny could've been mugged and injured or worse abducted. Once his mind had settled on those irrational thoughts he couldn't get past them, he got out his own phone and dialled Chins number, he picked up in two rings, "Hey boss what's up?" he could hear the rest of the team quietening down, "I found Danny's phone on the floor but no Danny," he paused, "should I be worried," Steve could hear Chin swallow presumably a swig of beer, "look boss we all know Danny's a hothead and he's also sensitive because he's drunk, go home he'll show up," Steve nodded, said thank you and hung up.

Steve wished he had listened to his irrational thoughts, if had listened to his irrational thoughts then maybe Danny wouldn't have woken up in a six by six foot steel box hyperventilating and wondering how he got there.


	2. Tight spaces.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's cold, it's dark the air is thin or is it thin? Is Danny just imagining it? Or is he really about to have a panic attack?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy it number two and all, any feedback is good feedback (I hope).

Danny's awake, he thinks awake, "at least this is what awake usually feels like," he thinks as he rubs a sore spot on his neck. His eyes desperately try and adjust to the darkness that surrounds him. The darkness itself would be enough to give Danny cause for concern but as he feels around what he originally thought was a room he now understands is something far more sinister- a box. He is trapped in a box. He can't feel a latch to try and pry open and he can't feel for any loose corners either. Danny's tries his best to now reason with his frantic mind, the box its self isn't too bad he can stand up in it and he can walk around in it, "yeah, I've been in worse," Danny says out loud because maybe saying it out loud will calm him down and stop his chest feeling so tight. Again he was wrong. Danny could no longer ignore the tightening in his chest that feels like someone squeezing the juice out of an orange until every last drop has been used. He can't ignore the thinness of the air, maybe he was somewhere high up in the mountains and that's why he felt like he had to breath heavier and maybe that's why he felt like his lungs were being starved of oxygen, but he knew that wasn't the reason. Danny couldn't ignore the fact that he' shoulder's felt heavy, in fact his whole body felt heavy, it was one of the symptoms of his claustrophobia that he could never truly explain. His whole body just felt like it was being pulled down by gravity, that somehow he was heavier than everyone else on the planet that the gravitational pull was heavier on Danny. Then the panic sets in and he needs to get out. Danny does everything he can to get out, he starts like anyone would, by shouting for anyone who's listening. When that doesn't work after five minutes or so he moves onto banging as well, with an open palm at first then moving onto a closed fist, but before he even registers what he's doing he's punching the walls. He punches them over and over again before he slides down the wall cradling his very bruised and very bloody hand, with his hand between his legs hyperventilating to try and get as much air to his lungs. As he begins to calm down only slightly Danny thinks about the fact that their wont be enough air in here for very long, he's already used up a lot from panicking so much and he doesn't know how long he had been in their before he woke up but he can guess it was at least a few hours. Just that small string of thoughts is enough to get Danny straight back to where he was before, breathing rapid and hard. He knows that he won't run out of because through the cracks he can see light shooting through highlighting the dust in the air, but that doesn't stop the irrational part of his mind telling him that he's stuck here forever, that the walls are closing in, that you're right there isn't enough air. Just before Danny's body is about to launch a full scale panic attack he hears people clambering about outside the box, playing around what Danny assumed to locks. He's about to bang on the sides when the panel in front of him falls down with a deafening bang. His captors are obviously surprised to see him awake, "hello boys," Danny says slightly breathy, "mind telling me what's going on here?" he smiles exhaustedly before feeling a fist whack him in the jaw and his head hit the ground.

*************

Steve is still pissed, he can't believe that Danny didn't come home last, part of the reason he's pissed is because it could be argued that he started it. He would not be accepting sole blame for this argument especially as Danny was so reckless as to drop his phone when sulking so Steve wouldn't even have the chance to leave angry voice messages. He didn't even think about the idea that Danny's absence would have been something more sinister. Chin said it himself- Danny's a hothead. He was probably staying with Grover or Chin and neglected to tell him. So imagine Steve's surprise when he got to work and Danny wasn't there to be shouted at. Steve walked through to Chin's office, "seen Danny?" Steve quizzed the officer but Chin shook his head, "not since last night," Chin peered up from his computer registering the look of concern on Steve's face, "why what's happened?" Steve swallowed realising that maybe something has happened, "we got into an argument last night and he hasn't been home since," Steve looked back round HQ to see if he could see Kono, "Chin I'm calling it somethings wrong," he walked out letting the door close behind him but Chin followed quickly behind. Steve walked up towards to computer and screens trying to think calmly about what to do, "I need everyone at the table now," he shouted so everyone could hear him. He was quickly joined by the rest of the team who all seemed to notice the absence of Danny, "I think Danny's missing, I don't who or how but I think he was taken," Steve paused thinking of what to do or say next when the screens behind him went black. He spun around to face them thinking maybe the power was down but all the lights were still working, he could start to hear audio coming through the screens and he recognised the voice speaking to him, "Steve McGarrett is that you?" the voice asks, he doesn't reply. Steve's waiting for the picture to come through so he can see if he really does know who it is. The screen shifts from a black screen to slowly allow a picture to filter through and he definitely recognises the face. Its the leader the drug cartel that tried to have the Governor kidnapped and suddenly Steve has a sinking feeling in his stomach that Danny was right- there is more to this case than meets the eye. Steve mulls over that thought before he is pulled back to reality by the familiar voice of Tony Carterez calling his name, "what do you want Tony?" Steve replies with an angry tone etched into his voice, "I want to be able to ship my cocaine out of the island onto the mainland," he states as if its already a done deal, "what makes you think I'll do that?" Steve laughs crossing his arms, "its what I like to call incentive Mr McGarrett," Tony smiles back at Steve, "you haven't got any incentive on me Tony," Steve shots back. Tony just gives an evil laugh and side steps to the left exposing a bruised and beaten Danny Williams kneeling on the floor with his hands tied behind his back and his head hanging low. 

Steve practically jumps forward at the shock of seeing Danny so beaten when only yesterday he was completely fine, "what have you done to him?" Steve speaks through gritted teeth as to not give his true feelings of dread away, "oh you know enough," Tony peered around to look at Danny then back at Steve, "he'll McGarrett as long as I have a safe passageway to the mainland," Tony has an aurora of calmness about him, its unnerving, "how am I supposed to do that Tony?" Steve looks exasperated, "well I don't know Steven but you'll have to find a way," Tony seems to stress this part. Danny's head lifts ever so slightly at the mention of Steve's name, looking around and focusing on the screen in front of Tony, "Steven?" he shouts but he's met with a less than friendly punch to the jaw. Steve stiffens at the pain inflicted on Danny, "now now boys that's not necessary," Tony starts to walk towards Danny and the men guarding him. He hooks his arm underneath Danny's and they start to walk towards the screen Danny obviously limping from the prolonged kneeling, Steve notices but so does Tony, "say hello Daniel," Tony looks at Danny who doesn't comply. For his lack of obedience Danny gets a kick to the knee eliciting a strangled gasp, "hello," Danny say's begrudgingly even talking giving him obvious pain. Steve was growing tiresome of this unnecessarily long chat, "Tony please there is nothing we can do our hands are tied," Steve pleaded desperately with Tony, "that's a shame I really liked Danny," the next thing that was heard was the sound of gun firing and Danny smacking the ground with his body. Tony then rubbed his hands together and began speaking, "now Steve listen to me, your partner and boyfriend is slumped on the cold concrete ground, he has been shot you're right in thinking that however its not a fatal wound if attended to," Tony paused to breath," but if left infection will set in and he will die, you're a military man Steven, tell me how long will that take bare in mind I wouldn't exactly call this place clean," Tony gestured to building he was in, "three hours maximum," Steve gritted his teeth to the point where he could feel his teeth wearing away. Tony frowned pulling a concerned face, "that's not very long, better get to work Steve," then the screens went back to black then to whatever was displayed before.

They have three hours Steve thought to himself as he sat down on the nearest thing available to him, they have three hours to somehow save Danny without allowing kilo's of cocaine to leave the island. Steve pinched his brow together, he could do almost anything- almost. It was beginning to dawn on him that this task in front of him wasn't apart of the list of things he could do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens, self doubt ensues and also I really hate making up names.


	3. White hot.

"Feel the burn" Danny mumbled under his breath as he clutched the bullet the wound that had torn through his shoulder but somehow managed to not exit as he felt all the blood pool at his fingertips. The only way he was going to survive this is if he recognised the pain, if he felt it rather than try to ignore it. He'd tried that once before and it had back fired completely.

Danny and Steve were on mission, it was a simple questioning that was all. They were headed to a suspects house to try and establish his whereabouts at the time of a particularly gruesome murder. They had no idea that at this point that the murder was a revenge killing and that the house they were on their way to was in fact full of angry gang members wanting nothing to do with Five-O. The gun fire started almost instantaneously with neither Danny nor Steve wearing protective gear, Danny's side got clipped but in the panic of everything Steve hadn't noticed. They retreated back to the Camero to call for back up and put on the appropriate gear all the while Danny still wasn't forthcoming about his injury. It wasn't long before back-up showed up and as a team they managed to shut it down and still identify a key target without killing him. It occurred to Danny that he may have been surviving off of the adrenaline of the shoot out and with the shoot out now over his body was feeling the pain, he tried his best to steady himself by grabbing Steve but collapsed onto the floor barely able to speak from the shock of how much pain he was in. The rest of the team hustled around Danny not entirely sure of what was actually happening, until something caught Kono's eye and she tentatively lifted the left side corner of Danny's shirt to reveal blood- a lot of blood. Steve's eye's doubled in size as he realised what was being shown to him every single person could see Steve mentally kicking himself for not being more vigilant as he realised exactly when it happened, "Daniel I swear to god," Steve half heartedly swore at Danny trying to contain his large mix of emotions. It turned out that Danny had been quite lucky that the bullet went straight through and missed any major organs but if he had waited any longer the story would have been drastically different. Which is why he was so worried about his current situation, the wound wasn't fatal it was only his shoulder but the bullet was still in his shoulder and he was being unattended to and left on the floor. He was scarred to move or speak. He really didn't want to die today.

******************

Steve tapped his fingers on the interactive screen in front of him. This is when he really wishes Danny was here to say something, to somehow string the case together like he always did, to connect the dots he never could. Steve was struggling, he had no plan and he had no ideas. How is it that whenever Steve was abducted or MIA Danny always had a plan he always managed to get him out of it no matter the situation. He was finally pulled out thought by Chin, "I have an idea," he spoke softly but firmly as he came out of his office, "so this cartel that has taken Danny," he pauses to type something into the screen, "are involved in a big ricco case the FBI have been working for just under two years and they're close to cracking down on the cartel," Steve who was once visually tense relaxes slightly at what Chin is saying, "if we can get there help on what we're going through right now, get them to speed everything up then we have a chance at getting Danny back in time and they can add a few more charges to their case," Chin finished everyone looked convinced at his plan. Everyone but Steve, "but Chin we still don't know their location," he was tense again realising that even if they could get the FBI on board they still didn't where Danny was. Chin swallowed looking uncomfortable, "Jerry and I know where he is," Chin said this whilst fiddling with the interactive surface to get what looked like a surveillance video up on the screens, it showed a van pulling up to a warehouse that had to be somewhere up in the mountains because of the vegetation and trees surrounding it, then three men unloading an unconscious Danny into a box and wheeling him into the warehouse. Steve had to physically stop himself from tearing the HQ up, "where did you even find this?" Steve spat out furious at no one in particular, "Jerry found it whilst hacking into the ricco case file," Chin looked at his hands knowing this would only further infuriate the ex-navy man, "they knew and haven't said anything or done anything?" Steve's eyes were wide with rage. Steve started towards the doors, unsure of what he was doing the team trailed behind, "they knew that someone was being held against their will, they may not have known it was Danny but they knew," Steve was raging now, doing everything in his power not to blow up, "Kono stay here and find where the lead detective on the case is and send me the address," Steve shouted back as Chin and Grover followed their boss out of HQ.

Steve was determined that whoever was in charge of this case was going to help him, he didn't care if he couldn't or if he didn't want to there was no way on hell that Steve wasn't going to storm that place now he knew the exact location. So either the FBI would help Five-O or they would completely fuck their long worked case. Either way he was getting Danny back- today.


	4. Back but not whole.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They'll get him back, but when he's back his he really all there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took for ageeeees to come out but my household has been struck by the chicken pox and I've been up with small siblings so have been way to tired to even think about writing. This chapter is slightly longer so I guess that's my way of saying sorry.

He doesn't feel right, Danny updates the notebook in his head, he doesn't feel like he's dying- yes he's in pain but he doesn't feel like he's going to die. He feels empty, like there's a hole that needs to be filled but its not one big gaping whole its lots of little holes that light could barely pierce through but he knows they're there. Danny puts it down to his anxiety and claustrophobia as he lays there slumped on the floor starting to feel his back spasm. He had been lying on that floor for at least an hour, his shoulder still bleeding and showing no signs of stopping. He thinks about moving every five minutes or so but the fear in his gut tells him not to, tells him to wait another five minutes. He's been doing this for half an hour now. He thinks he's actually going to move this time but someone else does it for him. He feels a hand slide under his armpit and yank him back to reality with the throbbing pain in his shoulder reminding him that he if he was here too long he really was going to die.

He hears the men talking to each other as Danny is dragged towards the chair that he had been sat on an hour ago, he wasn't really listening to the men trying his best not to pass out from the pain. They practically threw Danny into the chair strapping his hands and legs to the chair legs. At this point Danny was just plain confused, they hadn't strapped him down last time and this time there were no cameras or preparation just him, a few henchmen and Tony. Danny lifted his head to meet Tony's who was now stood in front of him, "Danny if you're up for it, I have some questions for you," Tony had this menacing air to him that could make anyone feel uncomfortable, "try me Tony I'm sure you'll get nothing," Danny's snide remark was meet with the connection of knuckles to jaw, "come on Danny be nice," Tony stroked Danny's jaw with the end of his gun, "all I want to know is who's in charge of the FBI ricco case against my cartel," Danny looked up at Tony genuinely confused at Tony's question, "Tony I don't know what the fuck you're talking about," this time a punch to the gut was Danny's punishment, "Don't lie Danny we know that's what you're team are looking into," Tony was growing more agitated by the minute. Danny wasn't exactly calming down either.

Danny tried to formulate a response that wasn't riddled with sarcasm but he failed, "Tony how would I know what my team are looking into right now when I'm stuck here with a fucking bullet in my shoulder," Danny huffed out waiting for his painful response that is normally instantaneous but this time it wasn't. Tony instead circled Danny and stood behind him with his hands resting lightly on Danny's shoulders but not enough to cause him pain. Then he started to massage his shoulders digging his fingers into Danny's painful open wound, causing Danny to cry out, "listen to me Danny, I'm not afraid to kill an agent nor am I afraid to kill agents from different agencies but at the moment I believe you," he stopped squeezing his shoulders momentarily only to then force his iron grip onto Danny's shoulder the pain so immense he could barely stifle a scream, "but if you are lying to me I will find out and I will kill you," Tony let go and Danny let out a relieved sigh not realising he had been holding his breath. It was weird throughout that whole experience the only thing Danny could think about was that he hoped Tony's hands were clean.

***********************

The FBI had been less than excited about the pairing but in the end they had realised that refusing to help Five-O would only kill their case. It took everything in Steve not to completely explode in front of the whole of his and the FBI's small team who were running this case, it was lead by Jonathon Bullerick. He was tall, dark and intimidating but at this point Steve had no care for how people looked he just wanted to get Danny. But when he heard the lead detectives excuse for not informing anyone of the kidnapping his team had witnessed Steve couldn't hold back his angry tongue, "I'm sorry let me get this straight," Steve said sarcastically, "you didn't inform the local police of a potential kidnapping because it could hinder a case?" Steve's eyes all but bore holes straight through Bullerick's skull, "now listen to me John, I have seen the CCTV footage my partner was as limp as a bag of potatoes- for all you know he could have been dead but still that doesn't involve you right?" the detective declined to answer. After Steve's out pour of oddly sarcastic behaviour things began to calm down and it seems that after a lengthy discussion- too long for Steve's liking- they came to an agreement. In order for the FBI to aid Five-O all recognition for the case would go to the FBI and the Five-O team would not be allowed to discuss the case with the media. This hadn't bothered any of the Five-O team, they weren't in it for fame or recognition, they were doing it because they were Ohana. 

It was after this decision that things began to move with a quicker pace, plans were being drawn out and so were contingency plans. Anything that could go wrong was being covered. Their only problem was that where the warehouse was situated was being heavily guarded. Before you even got it the actual warehouse there was a barbed wire fence with as many as four people guarding it at once with semi-automatic weapons. If you could get past them you were then meet with another eight guards again all heavily armed, once you were past them then only then could you get into the warehouse but the problems didn't stop there. No one knew how many people were actually inside the building at one time or what was even in the building. If they could get past all these different variables then they could get Danny- that is if Tony doesn't decide to shoot Danny at the first sound of gunfire. They were playing a risky game but it had to be done.

*************************

The warehouse is quiet now, for about thirty minutes it had been loud and hectic. People had been rushing crates full of god-only-knows-what and speaking or rather shouting to fuck-only-knows-who. There was even a point when Danny thinks that one of the guys who had been bringing in a crate spoke to him, but Danny was so delirious from blood loss that not five minutes prior he swore he saw French bulldog wearing a beret walk straight in front of him so he couldn't exactly trust his own mind. So when he starts hearing gunfire in the distance he has to have a serious talk with himself about whether or not it was actually real, when he hears another round of bullets he knows his mind isn't playing tricks on him- this is also when everything gets loud again. Everyone inside the warehouse starts running around like a punch of headless chickens trying figure out what to do with copious amounts of product inside the warehouse and then what to do with Tony, it almost looks like they're starting to get organised when suddenly everyone stops what they're doing and looks at Danny remembering he is still in the room and that, why yes they have in fact kidnapped a cop, "well your day just got a lot worse didn't it boys," Danny smiles through blood stained teeth and a badly bruised jaw line, "not as bad as yours mate," and Danny is fully expecting a bullet to find a way into his head but he is instead met by the butt of gun knocking him straight onto the temple leaving him out for the count. 

Steve knows this is going well, they're one man away from being inside the warehouse and they've got their man on the inside who delivered a shipment of cocaine in replacement of the regular driver, he was able to give them an idea of how many people were in the building and information on Danny's condition. They said he didn't look with it but he definitely alive and that was all Steve needed. The last man outside was down and as they huddled around the door Steve preparing to cover Chin as he kicked the door they were met with eleven men all carrying the same weapon. The good thing about these men were that they weren't exactly highly trained and they had very little trouble taking them out. Even as they continued to take out the men guarding Tony, Steve surveyed the area trying to find where Danny and Tony were. When he couldn't see them together he began to panic. He could see Tony he was slumped behind a barrel a bullet torn through his shoulder, only enough to incapacitate him not enough to kill, but he couldn't seem to see Danny. The rain of bullets slowed down to stop upon the realisation that all of the cartels men were down, "anyone see detective Williams?" Steve shouted to no one in particular and when no one answered he just ordered everyone to find him. It wasn't long before Kono was shouting for Steve, "I've found him Steve," Kono shouted with an edge of panic in her voice and Steve sprinted over to her voice. 

She was frantically trying to cut the zip ties that restrained Danny and oddly enough it wasn't the fact that Danny wasn't conscious that made Steve feel empty inside or the fact that he looked like someone had mistaken him for punching bag it was that if he hadn't let him walk away he wouldn't be here and if he just kept his mouth shut then maybe Danny wouldn't have been so limp in that chair.


	5. The walls will always come down.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Danny and Steve their walls will always come down but unfortunately they tend to crumble first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit is it 2018 already? it’s been almost a year since I wrote the last chapter but alas no fic of mine will be left unfinished!

Steve could feel Danny’s pulse, it may have been slightly shallower than normal but he had a pulse and he had a flesh wound- all things that could be made better that could heal. So why was Danny still hyperventilating every time he woke up in the hospital? 

Steve had managed to get Danny to the hospital quickly and was assured by the nurses and doctors that Danny would make a full recovery and the only cause for concern the obvious blood loss. In the incredibly cynical world they live in all Steve could think was “this was one of the lighter kidnapping” as if any kidnapping was light. See that was why Steve was so confused about panic attacks. He understand that Danny would no doubt have some traumatic nightmares in the weeks to come and that the whole ordeal was traumatic in itself but Danny only has panic attack’s when he’s feeling claustrophobic but Danny was in a wide open room with the curtains constantly open and infomercials on loop, in fact Steve did everything he could to make Danny comfortable. But he couldn’t crack it- until they don’t sedate him.

Danny woke up sweating but not a heat sweat a cold sweat that makes your bones feel chilled and your blood freeze. His gravitational pull was once again being pulled towards the feel and he could swear that the ceiling was getting lower. He was also convinced that someone was slowly sucking the oxygen out the room and his lungs were trying to convince him to take shorter breaths that it will help to gather more oxygen. Danny’s lungs are liars. Danny’s lungs are like the children on the playground who always used to tell you that you’ve got a supply teacher today so it’s ok if you’re late. Then you turn up to the lesson with your regular teaher and just look like a total tit instead. Danny’s lungs were like the apple weather app they give you an idea of what you could’ve had but never what you will have. Danny’s lungs were liars.

As Danny’s lungs continued to lie he pushed himself up the bed trying not to cause to much pain to his shoulder but failed miserably instead he cried out slightly but it was enough to wake Steve at the early hours of 4 in the morning. Danny’s heart rate has now increased to 110 according to the heart monitor. Steve rounded Danny’s side and instead of calling the nurse he decided to coach Danny through it, “Danny it’s ok I’m here just breathe through your mouth then your nose,” Steve tried to coach him through his short and painful breaths and Danny tried to only focus on Steve’s voice but he couldn’t help but think that breathing out through his nose doesn’t help. Breathing out through you’re nose takes to long and Danny’s lungs are impatient, Danny’s lungs are heroin addicts who just need their next fix and their supplier is taking too long. But Danny tried anyway, he breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth but every breath felt as laboured as the last and this was all just a lot of effort, Danny thought. Maybe if he just stopped breathing altogether the pain would go away and he would could relax just a little bit. Somewhere in his less than rational brain told him, “No Daniel this isn’t the time,” he thought the voice reminded him of his mum but he couldn’t be sure of it, “just breath Daniel the space will get bigger, it’s only getting smaller because you’re letting it,” then he realised it was definitely his mother. Danny’s mother had said those exact words when he had his first panic attack after the incident that was the reason for Danny’s crippling claustrophobia, he always said that phrase to himself whenever he felt like the room was too small or the ceilings weren’t high enough. He needed to say it now to himself, over and over until it was the only words he could speak and the only words he could hear. 

Steve could see Danny was calming down but didn’t know why or how. Steve had tried to calm him down before but it had never worked the nurses had always come in and sedated him when his heart rate got to high but for some reason now his Danny was calm, his Danny was breathing only slightly laboured from the cracked rib. Steve didn’t say anything just looked at Danny with so much sadness and love in his eyes that he could’ve been crying but he wouldn’t have realised. In fact he was pretty sure he had been crying because Danny reached for his hand and he was sure Danny could read Steve’s thoughts, “it’s not you’re fault Steve for all we know he could’ve been planning this all along,” Danny looked up at Steve trying to read his face to see if he had accepted his attempt to placate him. Steve hadn’t instead he was just thinking about how ironic it is that Danny was trying to comfort Steve when Danny was the one who had been shot, tortured and suffered about 3 panic attack’s in the last 12 hours; but sure Steve needs comforting. Steve squeezed Danny’s hand slightly, “please promise me you’ll never walk away again,” is all Steve said in response and Danny just nodded knowing he needn’t say much more, “I love you Steven,” Danny spoke softly so only the one it was intended for would hear, “I love you too Daniel,” Steve replied in the same soft tone.

Steve spent the next few minutes explaining Danny’s injuries to him and what the doctors had said, he had a cracked rib, some internal bruising in the stomach area, his knee was absolutely buggered and he obviously had a hole in his shoulder. Apart from all those things he was doing good but would have to take a few months months off work mostly because of his knee than anything else. They then spent the next few hours just being with each other not speaking too much but it was important to just have each other. Steve was flicking through some emails about the case that they had just closed and some stuff from the governor when caught Danny’s vacant expression and saw that his lips were moving but nothing was coming out, “Danny are you alright?” Steve quizzed but got no reply so he approached Danny and sat next to him trying to read his lips. He could make out that Danny was saying the same thing over and over, “its only getting smaller because you’re letting it,” then as quickly as Danny had been saying it he stopped and noticed Steve was sat next to him, “hey babe what’s up?” Danny looked him and was trying to be as nonchalant as possible but failing, “why were saying that?” Steve pressed and Danny shrugged, “saying what babe?” Danny replied not actually looking directly at Steve. He just frowned and gave Danny this look that basically said l, “I’m not a fucking idiot tell me what’s wrong,” but Danny just sighed not really wanting to tell him because it was personal. It was Danny’s thing that helps him get through everyday without needing anyone else, it was Danny’s pride and he didn’t like the idea of giving it up but this was Steve, to hell with the pride. So Danny sighed and took in a deep breath hurting his ribs in the process, “it’s what my ma said to me the first time I had a panic attack after what happened to me,” Danny paused to think if he really wanted to carry on but this was SuperSEAL he would just keep pushing, “it helps me calm down, keeps me from having daily panic attacks,” Danny stared down at his hands and thought about studying them for the next 10 minutes or so just so he wouldn’t have to looo at Steve’s face, “what happened to you Daniel?” and that was when Danny realised he’d never told Steve why he was claustrophobic and he really didn’t want to tell him but again this was SuperSEAL he would just keep pushing. So Danny sucked in another painful breath and did his best to try and downplay this pretty horrible story, “when I was about 7 I was walking home from school, down this alleyway it was no big deal really it was a safe neighbourhood and normally I walked home with this kid who lives across the road from me but he was off sick that day so I just walked by myself,” Danny stopped and again he though about just stopping altogether. Instead he carried on remebering Steve’s need to know everything, “but I got snatched,” Steve demeanour noticeably changed, “this guy just kind of did it on impulse but his hand in front of my face and took me into his house. The weirdest thing was, was that he didn’t actually do anything to me, didn’t hurt me or touch me in fact he didn’t know what to do with me so he just put me in the small cupboard maybe about 3 1/2 foot high and pitch black, he locked the door and just walked away,” Danny stopped to gather himself and as he thought back to those painful memories the room started to get smaller so he squeezed his eyes shut and said it to himself over and over, “it’s only getting smaller because you’re letting it,” Steve could see him doing it and just held his hand throughout like an anchor holding him down. Danny was calmer than he was before so he carried on, “with my dad being a fireman it didn’t take long before my face was plastered all over the news and everyone was out looking for me and luckily someone had thought they saw someone looked like me being dragged into a house,” the words were sinking into Steve like moisturiser into pores, “they wasted no time and raided the house, they found me and the guy, I was still in the cupboard and him the lounge watching TV,” Danny stopped and Steve assumed that that was the end but he was wrong. Danny continued with a sour look on his face, “I was in that cupboard for days, couldn’t see, couldn’t really stand and I couldn’t move it was a horrible sight was anyone to look and I guess you can imagine what seven year old would look like after that,” Steve didn’t want to imagine into be perfectly honest. A soiled Danny looking absolutely terrified and just wanting to go home. So that was where Danny’s claustrophobia stemmed from, Steve thought and he wasn’t he surprised either if had gone through something like that he would be in a very similar vote. Steve now moved further up the bed to embrace Danny, “I’m sorry Danno,” Steve whispered in Danny’s ear and Danny just rested his head the nook between Steve’s neck and his shoulder. He didn’t cry or get upset he just rested himself knowing he had someone who would keep him grounded and remind him that the room isn’t getting smaller, it’s only getting smaller because you’re letting it. Right now Danny’s room had no walls or windows the floor and ceiling had evaporated and Danny’s bed was atop a cloud. He was floating above the world with Steve to hold him mid air to make sure he doesn’t fall. At that point Danny had transcended any concept of being trapped, in that moment and maybe not forever but in that moment he was free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS BITCH IS FINISHED YEEEEET! Real talk though I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did and if you do suffer from claustrophobia just know i’m here aswell and I get you we got this.


End file.
